One of the most effective ways of dealing with hoarding situations is to establish an interdisciplinary task force,
involving representatives of all stakeholders in the community. Numerous communities around the US have established
hoarding task forces encompassing human health and social services, public health, zoning, code enforcement, and animal protection
groups to bring a coordinated, multi-pronged effort to these cases.
Another excellent very comprehensive site is that of the
New York City Hoarding Task Force. This extensive site contains lots of information
about the "bureacracy" of dealing with a hoarder, along with a useful "Question and Answer" site.
Recently published is a cross training manual
developed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the
Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services
(DHFS)
Creating Safer Communities for Older Adults and Companion Animals
The manual's primary purpose is to expand knowledge of the role of companion animals in patterns of elder abuse, exploitation, and self-neglect. It's also intended to foster collaboration among animal protection and adult protective services agencies.
The idea behind its creation is that better communication can lead to a commitment to sharing resources and expertise, cross training, cross referrals, and cooperative efforts during investigations of abuse and neglect.
The manual's content is comprehensive. It includes articles that introduce the complexities of animal hoarding and animal cruelty as an indicator of family violence, as well as legal information and lists of county social services agencies and local animal protection agencies in Wisconsin.
|
